India vs South Africa T20I: Sanjay Bangar praises Hardik Pandya’s unparalleled influence on India’s Twenty20 international team, stating that “no player is like him.”

India vs South Africa T20I: Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was praised by former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar as an “irreplaceable” asset in the country’s T20I side, emphasizing his outstanding all-around skills.

After recovering from a quadriceps injury that kept him out of action for more than two months during the Asia Cup, all-rounder Pandya is expected to make his eagerly awaited return to the Indian team.

In India’s five-match Twenty20 International series against South Africa, which starts Tuesday in Cuttack, he will make his comeback.

“Take a look at all of the all-round players in cricket right now. Is there a backup for Ben Stokes in England? No. Ravindra Jadeja has no backup in one-day or even Test cricket. The same is true with Hardik Pandya,” Bangar, a JioStar analyst, said.

“Pandya’s hitting alone may earn him a place in the top five. If he were just a bowler, he may rank among the top three seamers on any squad. The key is that you have to prove yourself both as a bowler and as a batsman to be that kind of all-rounder. “The Indian team has no other player like Hardik Pandya,” he said.

Bangar said that Pandya should play in the first three games against South Africa in order to limit his workload.

“We must observe his coping mechanisms. The intensity of an international match is not the same as playing in the SMAT (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy). He said that it is too early to determine whether he should play six or seven Twenty20 Internationals before to the World Cup, adding, “The team management must manage the workload of important players like him.”

Therefore, we must also do it for Hardik if necessary. Particularly with our spin options, a fit Hardik Pandya enables the team to play the combination they choose. That’s why his presence is extremely crucial,” he continued.